“Definitely Imperial vessels near the stations,” commented First Officer Falorr. “This system must be classified as Imperial and a threat to the Confederation.”
“Send a message to the council, informing them what our scans show. We will see if we can take control of one of our former battlestations. The station AI may be able to furnish us with valuable information.”
Admiral Kreen watched the tactical display as it steadily filled with additional information. He could now see the shipyards and space stations around the third and fourth planet. He began to feel uneasy about what he found. Evidently this buildup of defenses had taken decades to accomplish, meaning the Humans of this system had had control over the interdiction system for a very long time.
-
Time passed, and the Druin fleet neared the battlestation, and then they dropped from hyperspace. Almost instantly the battlestation fired upon the Druin fleet, and small attack drones launched. Only these were not Druin drones, but some modified interceptors designed by the Humans. Also two Imperial battlecruisers covered the battlestation as well.
“We’re being fired upon by fusion energy beams, and those missiles have powerful antimatter warheads,” reported the Druin at the sensor console.
Suddenly one of the Druin battlecruisers nearest the battlestation blew apart, as its shield was battered down, and then several of the small interceptors hit it with small fusion missiles.
“Target those small vessels,” ordered Kreen. “They’re armed with fusion missiles.” At that moment alarms sounded on the sensor console.
“Inbound Imperial warships,” warned the sensor officer.
“Where are they?” asked Admiral Kreen, shifting his gaze to the tactical display. He was not surprised that the Humans were committing a fleet. It was the same thing he would do in their position.
“They’re here,” answered the sensor officer.
Suddenly on the tactical display, several hundred red threat icons appeared around the Druin fleet. Kreen knew that now the real battle would begin. “What are we facing?”
“Two hundred and twelve Imperial battlecruisers and twenty dreadnoughts.”
First Officer Falorr looked at the admiral. “That’s more dreadnoughts than the Human Empire had when we conquered it. How could they build so many?”
“What concerns me even more is, how many warships do these Humans have? The long-range sensors still show hundreds of ships around the third and fourth planets. While some of those are obviously cargo and passenger ships, many of them may be warships.”
The Avenging Light suddenly shook violently, nearly throwing Admiral Kreen from his command chair. One of the consoles exploded, sending hot showers of sparks across the Command Center. A large structural beam broke loose from the ceiling and came crashing to the deck, pinning one of the Druin officers.
“Status.” Admiral Kreen was too logical to be angry. His cold-blooded nature allowed him to control his emotions most of the time.
“Fusion beam penetrated our energy screen where it had been weakened by several antimatter strikes,” reported First Officer Falorr. “Repairs will be underway shortly. Our fighting capability is not diminished.”
“All ships are to focus their fire on the battlestation,” ordered Kreen. “It poses the most danger. Once it’s destroyed, we will focus on the Imperial ships attacking us. Communications, send a hyperlight message to the council that we’re encountering major resistance from numerous Imperial warships.” Kreen would keep the council informed of what was happening.
-
Admiral Cleemorl nodded in satisfaction as another Druin battlecruiser blew apart under the fire of the Themis. It seemed as if his fleet had taken the Druins by surprise and had managed to get off a few broadsides of missiles before the Druins could respond.
“Concentrate our fire on the battlecruisers,” ordered Dylan, leaning forward in his command chair. “We’ll worry about the battleships later.”
“They’re hammering the hell out of the battlestation,” Captain Fulmar pointed out. “Almost all their weapons fire is targeting the station.”
Dylan looked at one of the viewscreens focused on the station. It’s energy screen was glowing brightly as it was awash in antimatter energy from dozens of massive detonations every few seconds.
“They won’t last long under that bombardment.”
“Communications, order the battlestation to place their weapons on automatic and evacuate. We’ll try to cover them.” Dylan glanced at the tactical display, showing the disposition of his fleet. “We need to move our fleet between the Druins and the battlestation to give them time to escape.”
-
The Human fleet quickly adjusted its position and formed a flattened disk formation between the Druins and the battlestation, cutting off most of the weapons fire. Now the battle changed to ship-to-ship fighting. Powerful fusion and antimatter detonations occurred in both fleets. Fusion energy beams played across energy screens, searching for a weakness. Occasionally a beam would penetrate, blasting huge rips in the hulls of both Druin and Human vessels.
-
Druin Admiral Kreen had a nearly three-to-one ship advantage as well as 217 of his warships were battleships. The battle had now settled down to one of attrition, and his fleet was destroying two Human ships for every vessel the Druin fleet lost.
“Those ships are nearly as powerful as ours,” commented First Officer Falorr.
Admiral Kreen looked at the masses of warships farther in the system. He knew there was no way his fleet could come away victorious against those odds. However, he needed to gather additional data for the Confederation. It was growing rapidly evident a larger fleet would be needed to conquer and to eliminate the Human threat in this star system.
“Take the fleet back into hyperspace. Put us in between the third planet and its satellite. We need to see what defenses these Humans have around their world.” Admiral Kreen no longer believed he could win this battle. For the first time in Confederation history, a Druin battlefleet faced defeat.
-
“Druins are bugging out,” reported Lieutenant Casella in surprise. “They’re entering hyperspace.”
“Hold the evacuation of the battlestation. Lieutenant, where are they going?” Dylan couldn’t believe they would give up this easily. They still had most of their fleet intact.
“They’re heading in system toward Earth.”
Dylan’s eyes widened. The Druins could not be allowed to bombard Earth. Of course, with the defenses Earth had built and one of the reserve fleets in orbit, it was doubtful that was even possible. “As soon as they drop from hyperspace, we’ll follow and drop out ten thousand kilometers behind them. We’ll try to pin them between us and Rear Admiral Collison.”
“We have four heavily damaged battlecruisers,” Lieutenant Commander Banora informed Dylan. “They are barely combat capable.”
“Have them stay here at the battlestation.”
On the tactical display, the Druin fleet appeared midway between Earth and the Moon.
“Take the fleet into hyperspace,” ordered Dylan.
The fleet vanished from the vicinity of the battlestation to reappear moments later between the Earth and the Moon and near the Druin fleet.
-
Colonel Henderson flinched when he saw the Druin fleet appear between the space station and Earth. “How far away are they?” Hundreds of Druin warships were visible on the multiple viewscreens in the Command Center.
“Fifty-two thousand kilometers,” reported Ensign Wilson.
Henderson was relieved they were outside of weapons range. “Launch all interceptors. Contact Rear Admiral Collison and inform him that we’re launching.” Rear Admiral Collison was in command of the reserve fleet protecting Earth.
“What about the energy shield?” asked Major Marcus. “It’s still down.”
“Activate it,” ordered Henderson. “It would be easy for the Druins to make a short hyperspace jump and hit
us with a missile. No point in taking a chance, even though they’re currently out of weapons range.”
In moments the energy shield was activated around the space station and around the attack interceptor launch facility.
Colonel Henderson shifted his gaze to one of the viewscreens, showing the attack interceptor launch facility. Attack interceptors were launching in waves and forming up into squadrons. Sixty of the deadly interceptors were based in the facility. Each was armed with fusion cannons and four small missiles on their wings with moderate-size fusion warheads.
-
Inside the interceptor launch facility, Captain Mathew Barkley waited for his turn to launch. He was in command of a squadron of twenty attack interceptors, and his squadron would be the last one to launch.
“Druins,” muttered Lieutenant Rod Simmins. “I thought this would be a relaxing assignment.”
Mathew laughed. “This is what we went into cryo for. Besides Michelle went into cryo and is on the space station. You see her nearly every day. What else do you want?”
“He wants to impress her,” commented Lieutenant Linda Kline, the interceptor’s weapons officer. She was a cute blonde and extremely talented.
“Afraid of some competition?” teased Mathew.
“No, we’re tight.”
Mathew looked around the small cockpit. There was just enough room for the three of them to sit comfortably and to reach all the controls. Mathew was in the front pilot’s seat, and the other two were in seats behind him. A small hatch led to another small compartment, a hold area, if needed for a lengthy stay in space.
“Our turn,” reported Rod, as a green light lit up on his console.
Moments later the interceptor hurtled from the launching tube and joined the other interceptors that belonged to the squadron. Rod quickly placed them in a wedge formation circling the space station and the interceptor launch facility. He knew it was only a matter of a few moments before the orders would be sent to attack. Looking out the cockpit windows at the other interceptors, he wondered how many would survive to return to base.
-
On board the main shipyard, General Weston had just given the orders to activate the energy shield and launch all the interceptors.
“Rear Admiral Collison is moving his fleet toward the Druins,” reported Lieutenant Brenda Willis. “The space station has launched their interceptors. Admiral Cleemorl’s fleet is dropping out of hyperspace between the space station and the Druins.”
“Earth’s defense grid has been activated. They are also launching the first squadrons of interceptors from the ground bases,” reported Colonel Julie Everett, General Weston’s second in command. “Luna City military command is activating the defense grid around the Moon as well. They’re launching all their interceptors but holding them in orbit around the Moon until needed.”
“The Druins are out of range of all our weapons,” added Major Glen Alexander, the tactical officer. “Weapons are online and ready to fire when needed.”
General Weston nodded. The Druins didn’t know it yet, but they had just jumped into the middle of a very nasty hornet’s nest.
-
Admiral Kreen’s gaze went back and forth from the tactical display to the viewscreens. Never had he seen such defenses.
“A second fleet of Imperial warships detected,” reported First Officer Falorr. “Fleet composition is 40 dreadnoughts and 230 battlecruisers.”
“We’re also detecting powerful energy shields around all their shipyards and space stations,” added the sensor officer. “Power readings indicate the use of very efficient and advanced fusion power plants.”
Admiral Kreen shifted in his command chair. This was the Confederation’s greatest fear. Finding an advanced world, heavily defended, and possessing fusion and antimatter weapons. Adding to the threat was the fact this was a world of Humans, and the Druins had been responsible for billions of Human deaths. That did not include the young Humans taken to the Confederation every year to work and then, as they aged, to be fed to the Lamothians.
“Estimate on the number of warships in the system?”
“Nearly one thousand,” replied the sensor officer. “Another large fleet is near the fourth planet, and other smaller task groups are scattered throughout the system. It also appears the fourth planet has been heavily colonized, as well as some of the moons of the fifth and sixth planets. There are also indications of mining in the system’s asteroid field.”
“How advanced is this system compared to the Human worlds of the former Human Empire?”
“At least on the same level or slightly above,” replied First Officer Falorr, studying some sensor readings of the planet and the shipyards and space stations.
“They’re so far from the Confederation,” commented Admiral Kreen, as he thought of the logistics of a major attack on this star system. “It’ll make destroying this system difficult.”
“Human fleets are nearly in engagement range,” the sensor officer informed Admiral Kreen.
Admiral Kreen nodded. “We will engage them.” Kreen wanted more data on what the Confederation faced in this star system. The loss of Druin warships was immaterial as long as the data was gathered. “Move toward the planet. I would like to attempt to bombard the surface to test the planetary defenses.” This would be invaluable information for future attacks.
-
The Druin fleet surged forward, putting some distance between them and Admiral Cleemorl’s fleet. Weapons fire quickly broke out between the Druins and Rear Admiral Collison’s ships. Fusion energy beams, antimatter, and fusion missiles slammed into energy shields on both sides.
The battle was intense, as the Druins tried to break through the Human lines to attack the planet, and the Humans were doing everything they could to stop them.
-
Admiral Cleemorl had ordered his fleet to speed up so they could strike the rear of the Druin fleet. The attack interceptors from the space station were on their way and would arrive shortly. Cleemorl had ordered the interceptors to concentrate their fire on damaged Druin vessels.
“The Druins are trying to break through Rear Admiral Collison’s lines,” Captain Fulmar pointed out.
“I can see that,” replied Dylan. “Concentrate our fire on the rearmost Druin vessels. We’ll see if we can weaken their fleet to the point they have to withdraw or face total destruction.”
There was no doubt in Dylan’s mind they now had the tactical advantage. The Druins were trapped between two Imperial fleets. Human reinforcements were close by, and thousands of attack interceptors could be called upon from dozens of Earth bases if needed. Not only that but the Earth was protected by a massive defensive grid, the likes of which had never been built before, not even in the former Human Empire.
The Themis vibrated slightly from weapons fire striking its energy shield. However, most of the Druin weapons fire was directed ahead toward Rear Admiral Collison’s fleet.
Even as Dylan watched, the squadrons of attack interceptors swept by, heading toward the rear of the Druin fleet. He was curious to see their effect on the Druins.
On the viewscreens, the front and rear of the Druin fleet formation was lit up by massive explosions. The same was true of the front of Rear Admiral Collison’s fleet. Even as Dylan watched, a dreadnought in the front line of Collison’s fleet was hammered by dozens of Druin antimatter missiles, causing its shield to fail. The ship tried to withdraw, but three antimatter missiles struck the hull, and the ship vanished in a brilliant explosion of antimatter energy. When the explosion died down, there was no trace of the ship, other than a few wisps of glowing gas and plasma.
-
Captain Barkley stared ahead at the Druin warship his squadron was approaching. The disabled Druin battlecruiser was drifting away from the battle. Its energy shield was nearly down, and several large rents were visible in its hull. “Alright, squadron,” said Barkley into his comm. “This is what we trained for. We’ll attack in groups of four. Ea
ch interceptor will fire two missiles until the target is destroyed. Use formation A2 to go in.” This formation required the interceptors to fly a ragged path, constantly swerving and changing course to avoid incoming weapons fire. “Lieutenant Stephens, take your group in first. Lieutenant Mallory, your group will be second. The rest of us will stand off to see the effects of your attacks.”
“Let’s go, group,” said Lieutenant Stephens over the comm. “Follow me in, and don’t fly straight!”
Captain Barkley watched as Stephens’s interceptor flew past his, followed by the other three interceptors in Stephens’ group.
The interceptors were constantly swerving and changing their vectors as they approached the Druin battlecruiser. Suddenly several fusion energy batteries fired at the interceptors. Several beams passed close by, but the Druin weapons were not designed to stop small vessels like the interceptors.
Lieutenant Stephens made his run, releasing his missiles and then pulling up and away from the battlecruiser. The two brilliant explosions caused the energy screen to flare and to show failure in a few spots.
The second interceptor released its missiles, with one impacting the screen and the second striking the hull of the battlecruiser. The blast caused the ship to break in two, with the pieces slowly drifting away from each other.
“No more missiles,” ordered Captain Barkley over his comm. “Use your energy cannons.”
For the next several minutes the squadron made several passes, riddling the two sections of the Druin battlecruiser with weapons fire. When they were done, both sections were lifeless hulks.
Captain Barkley nodded in satisfaction. “Alright, everyone. Form back up, and let’s go find our next target.”
-
In the Pallas Command Center, Admiral Reynolds was keeping track of the battle. He would not interfere unless it became absolutely necessary. He wanted his admirals and captains able to make decisions on their own.
The Forgotten Empire: Earth Ascendant: Book Two Page 12